Uninvolved parenting can alienate your child

Some people enter parenthood knowing exactly how they'll raise their children, some develop their style along the way. But, beware of uninvolved parenting as it can adversely affect children

Each parent wants to raise his child in his own way. No two parents are alike and neither are their parenting style. There are tons of different parenting styles out there. According to the National Institute of Health, USA, there are four broad categories of parenting style authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and uninvolved. Authoritarian parenting is the strict style of parenting where the kid is expected to listen and not speak. Authoritative style involves rules and discipline for the child, but it also gives due respect to a child's individual personality. Permissive is exactly opposite to authoritarian. Here the tone of raising a child is 'anything goes'. Uninvolved parenting is the newest member of the category. Here the parent does not deal with the child's needs or desires beyond the basics like food, clothing and shelter. In this article, we will talk about uninvolved parenting style and its effect on children.

What is uninvolved parenting

Uninvolved parenting, also known as neglectful parenting, is a form of parenting where the parent only deals with the child's basic needs like food, clothing and shelter. In all other areas, children literally grow up on their own. The parent does not help the kid in making any decision, big or small. This style of parenting is not always intentional. It may happen if the parent is under a lot of work pressure, and finds little time and energy to focus on the child. Parents may adopt this style of parenting from their own parents. The parent might be dealing with a mental health issue that is keeping him from developing an emotional attachment with the kid. Whatever may be the reason, uninvolved parenting can cause a disconnect between the parent and kid. This may alienate them from each other.

How does uninvolved parenting affect children?

It is true that uninvolved parenting makes a kid more self-reliant and better decision makers. The negative effects of this style of parenting easily outweighs the benefits.

Uninvolved parenting makes it hard for the child to develop an emotional connection with his/her parent. This could lead to low self-esteem in the child. Lack of affection and attention at a young age may make it hard for the kid to develop other relationships as he/she grows up.

According to a study conducted in 2017, by the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, West Africa, uninvolved parenting can affect a child's social skills. Since parents rarely communicate with their kid, it makes it hard for the kid to involve himself/herself in social interactions and to talk to people outside the home. According to the same study, children who were raised under the uninvolved parenting style lacked coping skills. Out of the survey on 670 first-year college students, kids who were raised by uninvolved parenting felt less home sick that other kids. They did express the little amount of homesick they were feeling. The rest of the kids did not express it as they had better coping skills. This study proved that parenting style could determine how kid lives his/her life away from home.